1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an authentication program product.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral and the like, there is known a technology for executing a function such as copy, scan, fax, or print after login, for a purpose of security or a billing count. Further, there is also known a technology for executing a function such as scan, fax, or print making use of a detachable recording medium such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, a memory card and the like.
Incidentally, in technologies described above, since a login is kept even after a user has executed a function of the image forming apparatus, it is necessary for the user to execute a logout by himself or herself. When the user forgets to execute the logout, there is a problem that the image forming apparatus may be used under the name of the user by a third party.
Here, for example, Japanese Patent No. 4557047 discloses a technology for appropriately releasing a USB device attached to a USB connector at the logout mode.
However, in the conventional technologies described above, since it is necessary for a user to switch an status from an authenticated status to a non-authenticated status by himself or herself after all, there is a possibility that the image forming apparatus may be used under the name of the user by a third party during a transition period from the authenticated status to the non-authenticated status.